Free-agent outfielder Nelson Cruz had to be heartened by Jhonny Peralta‘s $53 million deal, as Cruz is the better of these two Biogenesis-connected players, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
It shouldn’t come as a shock that, according to sources, Cruz is said to seek about $75 million over four years. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise, either, that there are plenty of interested teams, among them the Mariners, Athletics, Mets and his old Rangers team. The Phillies are another that showed early interest but would probably have to trade someone to make room now. (Cruz’s agent Adam Katz declined comment on any and all.)
It doesn’t appear that the suspensions have done anything to bring down any of these player’s value. Remarkably, the millions being tossed around reflects a spending frenzy that will often happen when the demand far outweighs the supply. Power hitters are in short supply and teams are willing to turn a blind eye to a player’s PED use – especially if those players have proven track records of performance.
As for the Mets, Sandy Alderson said today that he’s still in search of a power bat, and Cruz as well as Curtis Granderson should be able to fill that need nicely. Heyman said that the Mets are continuing to pursue both sluggers, however most analysts say it’s unlikely.
Heyman slipped something into his article that was also worth noting. While reporting that there was no negotiations between the Mets and the Brewers for Ryan Braun, he said, “Mets owner Jeff Wilpon, didn’t even appear to be aware of it, and he’s actively involved in baseball dealings.”
Actively involved in baseball dealings… Man that just sent a chill down my spine…
So while most are focusing on what Heyman had to say about Cruz today, I instead find myself wondering just how much is Jeff Wilpon impacting this Mets offseason?
What exactly is his role in all of this? How big of a hand did he have in that Chris Young deal? And most importantly, could he really be the one calling the shots?
